Music has always been a part of my life -- now welcome to the journey. Just a little blog to reminisce, review, rant and rave about the music in my life. "Music is my mother and my father. It is my work and my rest,my blood, my compass, my love" ~Jeff Buckley

Sunday, August 28, 2016

I met Tara courtesy of Jeff Buckley. Many of my friendships begin that way. She opened the 2014 Annyual NYC Tribute to Jeff, which is organized by Robert Urban and held at Arlene's Grocery in November. She opened the show and I knew I would be hearing more from her in the future.

Gifted with about ten years of her talent, here is a bit of review for you about Tara's music. All Eyes to the Sky

Tara's voice is warm and welcoming - she brings the coffee shop atmosphere into your living room. The album opens with a great song concept - what if daydreams were real? The album hearkens the 90's for much of the album - think Common Threads. Some songs are robust and others are stripped down and bare. But the album also gives us a taste of what else lies within Tara's musical appreciation. Songs like Relief show her lyrically humor. This album has soul, emotion, humor, and is at times poetic.

Dolly TrollyTiny Love Pieces

Take Fleetwood Mac and the Lumineers and sprinkle in some Lisa Loeb and Dick Dale. The album is an amalgam of great artists who each donate their uniqueness to the album. It opens with heart and lots of rhythm. Mossy Mountain Hop is driving and not was I was anticipating. While I waited for Zeppelin - they delivered some Courtney Love meets Broadway and The Clash (trust me - it's awesome). Some Girls are Handsome surprised me with it's undertone of surf rockers, Dick Dale. This album ends in a great, simple instrumental. If you can't make up your mind on what you want to listen to - Dolly Trolly will meet all your needs.

A very unique and yet pure blend of sound welcomes you to this album. Evident is a beep keeping beat (I felt like someone had an EKG on the beat).

The album is something familiar but completely new. The cover of Eyes Without a Face was so unique and it worked so very well -- who knew tambourines could take the place of keyboards! Whiskey Soaked Revelations needs a movie written around it. It is that good. Country mashed bluegrass and folk. Ends gloriously with Awake in a Dream. Harmony ablaze and each song has a different feel. Waiting for more from the Tara Lynne Band!!

Friday, August 12, 2016

“He
said, ‘Bob, I’ve never really sang before — I’ve just kind yelled,'”
Rock recalled. “He played me a Chris Isaak record, and he said, ‘On
‘Nothing Else Matters’ and ‘The Unforgiven,’ I want to sing. How do you sing like this?‘”

“He
said, ‘Bob, I’ve never really sang before — I’ve just kind yelled,'”
Rock recalled. “He played me a Chris Isaak record, and he said, ‘On
‘Nothing Else Matters’ and ‘The Unforgiven,’ I want to sing. How do you sing like this?‘”

“He
said, ‘Bob, I’ve never really sang before — I’ve just kind yelled,'”
Rock recalled. “He played me a Chris Isaak record, and he said, ‘On
‘Nothing Else Matters’ and ‘The Unforgiven,’ I want to sing. How do you sing like this?‘”

“He said, ‘Bob, I’ve never really sang before —
I’ve just kind yelled,'” [Bob]Rock recalled. “He played me a Chris Isaak record, and
he said, ‘On ‘Nothing Else Matters’ and ‘The Unforgiven,’ I want to sing.
How do you sing like this?‘” ~James Hetfield inspired by Chris Isaak

That iconic opening of Enter Sandman ushered in a new era for Metallica and for new legions of fans. To the screams of them selling out, Metallica hit the mainstream. Gone were the 10 minute anthems from our greatest literature (For Whom the Bell Tolls, Johnny Got His Gun, and ... The Bible) and in were 3 minute made for video/radio songs that caltured Metallica's true talent. Totally their own choice to keep this one simple, they could not get away from the critics. The fifth album of Metallica's, simple known as The Black album is one of the best selling albums ever world-wide.

I bought this album at the stroke of midnight. By 1am, it was my favorite album and I was going to marry James Hetfield. In six months, I wore out the cassette. 25 years later, I've met James, married someone else, but The Black album remains of my my top favorite albums of all time.

If you want to see the 90's and what 'tallica was throwing themselves into I highly recommend the video documentary of the making of this album (my vhs copy only lasted two years).

Metallica deserves credit for putting their band on the line for trusting Bob Rock to hone the talent they had, but didn't know they could muster in certain ways. Learning to sing not scream, using varied guitar tuning, and turning up the bass! This album also debuted at the video age, allowing us more face time with the band, and giving us some scary nightmare videos.

Enter SandmanWhat a way to start the new era of Metallica. This song has the perfect intro, crescendo, and a scary music video. The first to be released off the album, this song hushed some of those pesky critics.

Sad But TrueAgain, a driving song. Simple lyrics on this one - dare say, it sides on poetic.

Sticking with some of their old themes, this one speaks of the hypocrites. James, who often goes to his religious upbringing, brings some preaching to this song. Before you judge me take a look at you
Can't you find somethig better to do
Point the finger, slow to understand
Arrogance and ignorance go hand in hand
It's not who you are it's who you know
Others lives are the basis of your own
Burn your bridges build them back with wealth
Judge not lest ye be judged yourself

The UnforgivenOhhh, a slow song but hardly a ballad. Classic guitar and James singing made everyone take a step back and realize this bad has talent. The video for this takes Metallica into an artistic realm that was perfect for the MTV era.

Wherever I May RoamOne of my favorite running songs, this song about the road is Metallica's answer to Bob Seger's Turn the Page. ...and with dust in throat I crave
Only knowledge will I save
To the game you stay a slave
Rover wanderer
Nomad vagabond
Call me what you will

Don't Tread on MeWith the Gadsden Flag snake already adorning the album, this Revolutionary inspired song opens with a familiar and clever sample: America from West Side Story.

Hetfield said the song was a reaction to the anti-American tone of their album ...And Justice for All
- "This is the other side of that. America is a fucking good place. I
definitely think that. And that feeling came about from touring a lot.
You find out what you like about certain places and you find out why you
live in America, even with all the bad fucked-up shit. It's still the
most happening place to hang out."Fricke, David (November 14, 1991). "Metallica". Rolling Stone (617). Archived from the original on March 21, 2009.

Through the NeverLots of new riffs from Kirk on this album. Hints at their past thrash memories and filled with the philosophy of Metallica.

Nothing Else MattersThe ballad that was not supposed to be. Hetfield wrote if for his girlfriend and thankfully it ended up on the album. A sellout to some, this song really brought Metallica to the masses.

Of Wolf and ManDriving rhythm and pretty simple song about finding your inner wolf.

The God That FailedHeartbreaking to hear this song when you hear it's inspiration. James blames his mother's Christian Science beliefs for her not seeking out medical help for her cancer. James' anger at God is painful. It is a profoundly deep and painful song that fits well with the angst of Metallica. I see faith in your eyes
Never your hear the discouraging lies
I hear faith in your cries
Broken is the promise, betrayal
The healing hand held back by the deepened nail

Follow the god that failed

My Friend of MiseryThis is such a classic Metallica riff, memorializing the days of Fade to Black. A song about something putting everything on themselves but not accepting any help

If Sandman was the perfect intro, Struggle is the perfect conclusion to this album. It's very revolutionary drumming and simple guitar riff brings the album to a perfect close.

“The fact is that we all like black as a color,” Ulrich said in Enter Night. For an added exclamation point, frontman James Hetfield
then added, “Here it is, black sleeve, black logo, f— you.” In fact,
the Black Album’s cover was distinguished only by the band’s barely
perceptible logo in the upper left corner and a coiled snake in the
bottom right corner.

The idea for the
stark concept came to Lars Ulrich early in the recording process, according to
Mick Wall’s Enter Night: A Biography of Metallica. At the time, the
drummer was “browsing through a typically colorful heavy metal mag, noticing
how the ads for various albums all looked the same,” which was not sitting well
with him. “All these cartoon characters and all this steel and blood and guts,”
Ulrich said. “It was like, ‘Let’s get as far away as possible from this.'

“The fact is that we all like black as a color,” Ulrich said in Enter Night. For an added exclamation point, frontman James Hetfield
then added, “Here it is, black sleeve, black logo, f— you.” In fact,
the Black Album’s cover was distinguished only by the band’s barely
perceptible logo in the upper left corner and a coiled snake in the
bottom right corner.

The idea for the stark concept came to Lars Ulrich early in the recording process, according to Mick Wall’s Enter Night: A Biography of Metallica.
At the time, the drummer was “browsing through a typically colorful
heavy metal mag, noticing how the ads for various albums all looked the
same,” which was not sitting well with him. “All these cartoon
characters and all this steel and blood and guts,” Ulrich said. “It was
like, ‘Let’s get as far away as possible from this.'”